Google ads restricts affiliate gambling promotions in Croatia

Affiliate sites lose paid advertising rights while licensed operators keep their ad access.

Written by the BettingEdgeHub desk, 14 September 2026

Google announced a major update regarding advertising rules for the Croatian market. Effective from October, the platform will ban all promotion of gambling promoting content targeting the country. This specific policy change targets third party comparison and affiliate websites rather than licensed operators.

Impact on affiliate sites

Affiliate and comparison platforms rely heavily on paid search and display advertisements to attract users. Under the new rules, all existing certifications for these promotional services will be revoked permanently. Advertisers will no longer be able to apply for new certifications or run paid ads of this type.

Operators remain unaffected

Online gambling operators advertising their own licensed products will not face the same restrictions. Licensed casinos and sportsbooks can continue using paid media campaigns. They must still comply with existing local regulations and country specific certification requirements.

Stricter national laws

The platform update arrives alongside strict domestic legislation already enforced across the country. Croatian laws prohibit online gambling advertisements during daytime hours and ban promos on public surfaces entirely. Influencers and celebrities are also barred from featuring in any promotional material for betting services.

What it means for a bet

Punters will still see ads from licensed bookmakers, but comparison sites must rely entirely on organic search traffic.

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